July 19th, 2010
There comes a time in every garage door’s life when parts start to wear out and need to be replaced. The most commonly replaced parts are springs, cables and bearings; but every so often drums and gears may wear out too. Tempting as it is to always go with the least expensive parts, deciding to save a few bucks upfront may actually cost more in the long run. Here are 5 reasons why buying high quality garage door parts is a better way to go along with some specific examples.
Longevity: Cheaper springs will last an average of about 10,000 cycles or 3-5 years. In contrast, if you pay a little more for a better quality spring, you’ll get three times as many cycles and an average life span of 15-20 years.
Better Quality: A cheaper cable is comprised of 7 strands of steel and has a break strength of 920 lbs. A higher quality cable has nine strands and is roughly three times as strong as the cheaper model. In a nutshell, the cheaper cable is much more likely to fray sooner and eventually snap: an event which could result in severe injury or even death. Safety-wise, the difference is night and day.
Better Operation: Cheap rollers will only last through 10,000 cycles and are made of plastic with no bearings for support. Door operation is rough with this kind of equipment and the rollers will require monthly lubrication in order to keep operating. On the other hand, high quality commercial grade rollers last 50,000 cycles and are attached with 13 ball bearings to help the rollers spin and maintain quiet, smooth operation.
Increased Safety: Garage doors are heavy, and their associated parts (like high tension springs and rollers) can be dangerous when they fail. Investing just a little more in higher quality parts is like buying an insurance policy for your family’s safety. It’s worth it!
More Value Over Time: The old adage “you get what you pay for” certainly applies to garage door parts. When you go with cheaper stuff, you’re likely to pay more over the long run both in replacement and labor costs. It’s much more cost-effective to just do the job right the first time.
A good Utah garage doors vendor and repair specialist like A+ Garage Doors understands how important quality parts are to a successful and long-lasting repair job. Insist on the best!
Posted in Garage Door Parts | No Comments »
June 23rd, 2010
A Few Statistics
It’s summer in Utah, and this wonderful time of year means kids are out of school and hanging around the house most of the day. Chances are you have not only your own children to corral, but half the neighborhood as well at one time or another! Whether your Utah garage doors are manually operated or you enjoy a new state-of-the-art automatic garage door opener, it is essential to educate your kids about what to do and what not to do in the vicinity of the door as they get their bikes out or simply use the garage as an exit and entry way. Unfortunately, injuries to children can and do happen: here are a few statistics from 2007.
- 7,557 injuries occurred as a result of fingers getting pinched or crushed between section joints
- 2,102 were injured by falling doors
- There were 313 spring-related injuries
- 224 were hurt by doors that were in need of repair
- 134 were hurt in a race to “beat the door” as it was being lowered
- 89 were injured by actually riding on the door as it went up or down
–Source: GarageDoorChildSafety.com
A huge percentage of these injuries could have been avoided if parents had taken the time to educate their kids about garage door safety, exercised proper supervision, or made sure the door was in peak operating condition.
What Parents Can Do
- Set a good example: If adults exercise good safety practices around their garage doors, they are indirectly modeling proper behavior to their children too.
- Have a talk: When peak usage time starts (and that’s now!), take the time to talk about the do’s and don’ts of putting the garage door up and down. For older kids, explain the mechanics of how the door works including any consequences that may come from unnatural interference with the mechanism’s job.
- Get routine inspections and maintenance services performed on your doors: Too many injuries result from doors that are imbalanced, have worn springs, or other problems. If you have an automatic garage door opener, it needs TLC just like any other home appliance.
If you need maintenance for your Utah garage doors or if it’s time to upgrade to a newer model, contact the experts at A+ and we’ll take good care of you. Have a safe and happy summer!
Posted in Garage Door Safety | 1 Comment »
May 24th, 2010
Gone are the days when the only choice for homeowners was a plain old garage door which looked more like a wall than an entryway. If you are in the market for a new door, why not opt for one of the stylish new designs instead? Here are just a few examples.
Carriage House Style
The doors that fall into this category are reminiscent of another time and place: they are tastefully old-fashioned in their look and feel and come in a wide variety of styles. Carriage House gets its name from buildings that were used more than a century ago to store buggies. The “buggies” may have changed since then, but not the timelessness of the door design. Your Utah garage doors specialists at A+ carry many of the top manufacturers of classic Carriage House looks, including Wayne Dalton®: so if you’re seeking a traditional look with all the conveniences of modern automatic amenities, this might be the choice for you.
Contemporary Style
Today’s modern architectural styles demand something equally dramatic when it comes to garage doors. Contemporary design doors offer a wide variety of choices, all of which are designed to make a bold statement. The hottest look is totally see-through, with small panes of sturdy glass encased in a framework made of copper, zinc, or steel. Such doors allow vehicle entryways to look more like windows and less like utilitarian doors, yet they offer the same levels of total security and convenience. Top manufacturers such as Amarr® and Northwest® are masters of innovation whose engineers are always working on new and exciting designs that will literally take your breath away.
Raised Panel Style
Raised panel doors offer an All-American look that is suitable for just about any home: this is why they continue to be a top-seller all across the country. You don’t have to settle for “plain Jane” anymore however: today’s raised panel designs offer a wide range of exciting looks both with window inserts and without. Fiberglass, wood, and steel are the materials of choice for this type of door and yours can be stained or painted in virtually any color: adding curb appeal along with cost-effective durability to your home.
When it comes to Utah garage doors, A+ has one of the very best selections of Carriage House, Contemporary, and Raised Panel styles: which one’s right for you?
Posted in New Garage Doors | 1 Comment »
April 27th, 2010
If you are the proud new owner of an automatic garage door system, you’re probably wondering how you ever lived without it! An automatic system makes life easier in a hundred different ways, but it also presents some unique safety issues for you and your family. A+ Garage Doors is your Utah garage doors specialist and we want you to enjoy a problem-free experience with your new system. Here are some security tips to help you prevent avoidable mishaps.
Familiarize your children big and small with how the system works and set guidelines for how they should treat it. i.e.:
- The garage door is not a toy
- Garage door openers are never to be played with
- Do not hang from the door
- Do not play “chicken” with a closing door, etc.
- Help them understand that the automatic door is a great convenience but it can be dangerous if it’s not respected.
If you have an exterior touchpad entry system, teach everyone how to use it and make sure they understand that codes are never to be shared. They need to understand that sharing codes can lead to dangerous strangers gaining access to the house.
Make sure your system receives regular maintenance from an expert repair service like A+. You should check your door on a monthly basis, looking for signs of wear. If your door isn’t functioning properly, sticks, or is making unusual noises, be sure to contact a professional right away. Parts for automatic garage doors operate under extremely high levels of tension, so for ultimate safety reasons homeowners should never undertake repair jobs themselves.
Posted in Garage Door Safety | No Comments »
March 23rd, 2010
If your old garage door is on its last legs (or rollers!), spring is a great time to get a new one. The weather is more cooperative for installation and you can enjoy the benefits of your investment all summer long. With so many choices out there, how do you even begin to know where to start? The best way to make an educated decision is to get a little knowledge first: you need to consider type and material. Here are some tips that will help as you research Utah garage doors.
Type
There are two basic types of garage doors: tilt-up (swing-up) and sectional roll-up. If cost is a big issue for you as it is for many of us during these difficult times, a tilt-up is definitely an attractive choice. It consists of a single solid pane that opens by rotating up and then outward. Many folks find this kind of kinetic engineering impractical for two reasons: the door cannot be opened if another car is parked on the driveway too close to the door; and in bad weather, snow or rain will be allowed into your dry garage every time the door is opened.
A sectional type is a little more expensive and should be installed by a professional, but it offers many distinct advantages: they are stronger and safer than tilt-ups, they operate just fine with tight space constraints, and put less stress on springs.
Material
The three most commonly used materials for residential Utah garage doors are aluminum, wood, and steel. There are pluses and minuses for each:
- Aluminum: lightweight and durable, aluminum never rusts and can be painted virtually any color.. The most common complaint with aluminum doors is that they dent easily if they are accidentally hit either by a car or by a baseball and can be difficult to repair when body damage is involved. Aluminum doors are no longer a part of many dealers’ product line.
- Steel: Like aluminum, steel is lightweight and versatile but its main advantage is that it offers a wide range of insulation options. It is definitely stronger than wood and withstands any type of Utah weather with aplomb. Steel never cracks or warps and will last a lifetime.
- Wood: Today’s wood garage doors are extremely attractive and offer the most options in terms of design. Wood is a natural insulator but because it is a natural product it is subject to seasonal contraction and expansion. In simple terms: a wood door requires regular seasonal upkeep to stay looking fresh, but many homeowners are happy to take care of wood doors because of their classic beauty.
Garage doors of all types and materials come in all kinds of innovative designs suitable for every style of home. Contact A+ Garage Doors for the very best in selection and service.
Posted in New Garage Doors | No Comments »
February 12th, 2010
You’ve repaired and replaced, repaired and replaced, but your old garage door still isn’t working right. Even for the avid and thrifty Do-It-Yourselfer, there comes a time when pouring all that time and money into a faulty door just doesn’t make good fiscal sense anymore. Utah garage doors are continuously pounded by harsh weather conditions including snow, sleet, ice, and hot sunshine. Here are some ways that Utah homeowners can know when it’s finally time to get a new garage door.
Dents: A dented garage door is not necessarily a safety hazard, but it is certainly an eyesore! Even if your yard is immaculately kept and the rest of your house looks terrific, the sight of a dent or dents in the garage door will wipe out any positive impression when people drive up to your property: and this could result in a loss of value to your home too if you’re considering selling.
Rust: Rust is not only unsightly, but it is also a sign that your garage door will soon be experiencing operational problems if it isn’t already. Rust is a symptom of corrosion in a door’s metal parts, and these parts may break or fall apart unexpectedly resulting in inconvenience or even injury. Rust in spring coils is especially dangerous: since these coils are responsible for the high degree of tension necessary for proper door operations, if the coils fail the heavy door could fall and fall violently.
Difficulty Opening: A door that is hard to open either by hand or automatically is exhibiting signs of wear or misalignment. If you try to force it open, the consequences may be severe: you could become entrapped under the door or the door could fall off altogether. Injuries caused by these types of incidents, including those mishaps that occur with Utah garage doors, are responsible for 20,000 emergency room visits every annually according to the U.S Consumer Product and Safety Commission. Similar studies also show that 60 children have been killed since 1982 by automatic doors that did not reserve upon contact.
A+ Garage Doors is a Beehive State company dedicated to installing top quality new Utah garage doors; don’t risk inconvenience or injury: call A+ today.
Posted in New Garage Doors | 1 Comment »
December 15th, 2009
Garage doors are an essential part to most homes, but are not often thought about until something goes wrong. Most of the time garage doors perform admirably and do just what is required of them. There are several things that can be done to keep them running well, such as not subjecting them to unnecessary wear and damage, and performing basic maintenance when necessary. The easiest thing to do to keep a garage door working well is to avoid subjecting it to too much wear and tear.
Garage doors are designed to be operable and safe, and keep out the weather. However they are not designed to sustain overt stress and repeated blows. For those who have children, or live in a neighborhood with young families, a familiar sight might be kids playing hockey, tennis, lacrosse, soccer, or throwing a baseball against a garage door. It seems like a good idea because kids can play in the safety of their driveway and the garage door serves as a good backstop. However, this can result in panels being dented or broken, and the repeated impacts can loosen bolts and contribute to unnecessary stress and further damage.
If something should happen to your garage door, it is important to repair it promptly. Garage door service is a good way to prevent more costly repairs or even replacement in the future. Some repairs are minor and quick and may only involve tightening bolts, cleaning and lubricating the tracks or adjusting the alignment of the tracks. An essential part of a good working garage door is the springs, because they are the parts that allow the door to raise and lower.
For the best garage door installation and repair, call A+ Garage Doors.
Posted in New Garage Doors | No Comments »
